Spathiphyllum plant

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct plant variety of the Spathiphyllum which has larger ratio of bract to the whole plant as well as of bract to leaf in length, dark green colored leaves and round, big, erect and yellowish white colored bracts.

DISCOVERY

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety ofornamental plant of the genus Spathiphyllum clevelandii var Tasson,which has been named Spathiphyllum clevelandii var Merry by theinventor.

The new variety was discovered in the summer of 1982 in the Daiju-EnNursery located at 61-2 Motomachi, Minamiohshimizucho, Toyohashi-shi,Aichi-ken, Japan.

REPRODUCTION

The new variety has been asexually reproduced at the same location byapplying, firstly, means of tissue culture for 6 months, secondly, meansof acclimation for 1 month and, finally, means of cultivation from 1year to 2 years, and has been found to retain its distinctivecharacteristic through successive asexual reproduction.

CHARACTERISTICS

The new plant variety is visually distinguished by the followingcharacteristics of the leaf, including an elliptic form with sagitatebase and cuspidate leaf tip, and bract the minimum length of which ishalf of the whole length of the leaf. The leaf and bract include pinnateveins, having smooth midribs and depressed veins. The new plant varietygrows very densely and compactly and has medium long, wide, ellipticallyshaped, densely spreading leaves.

As contrasted with mother plant, the new plant variety has a largerratio of bract to the whole plant as well as of bract to leaf in lengththan those of mother plant.

The accompanying drawings serve by color photographic as means toillustrate typical plant of the new variety in approximately its truecolors, the plant shown being approximately 31 months old, at the timeof photographing, from the initiation of reproduction by tissue culture.The specimen was at that time 31 5/16 inches (about 79.5 cm) tall fromthe ground to the tip of the central bract.

However, the illustration of the plant in the drawing are affected byreflected ray from surface of those leaves which are highlighted.

Thus the color references are in fact made to leaves or portion ofleaves which are in the shadow. There exists one or more petals in thenew variety. The petal is also called perianth segment, botanically,because it is not possible to distinguish the petal from the calyx dueto their copulation with each other. There also exists a bud beforeflowering, i.e., the perianth segment opens. In the following detaileddescription of the new plant variety, the color method chosen foridentification has been taken of the Japan Color Standard forHorticultural Plants.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a photograph of potted plant of a new variety, Spathiphyllumclevelandii var. Merry. The plant shown in FIG. 1, is grown from oneyoung plant reproduced by means of tissue culture, and approximately 31months old, at the time of photographing, from the initiation ofreproduction by tissue culture. This photograph shows that the newvariety has a larger ratio of bract to the whole plant in length i.e.approximately 23% and ratio of bract to the leaf in length i.e. 74% thanthose of the mother plant, Spathiphyllum clevelandii var. Tasson whichhas such two ratios of approximately 18% and 44% respectively.

FIG. 2 is a photograph of bract and spadix with a tape measure. It ispossible to see approximate length of bract (18 cm) and spadix (6 cm).The plant is approximately 31 months old from the initiation ofreproduction by tissue culture.

FIG. 3 is a photograph of leaf blade with a tape measure. It is possibleto see approximate length of leaf brade (25 cm). The plant isapproximately 31 months old from the initiation of reproduction bytissue culture.

FIG. 4 is a photograph of whole part of the new variety. It is possibleto see how vigorous its roots are. The plant shown is also grown fromone young plant reproduced by means of tissue culture, and approximately31 months old from the initiation of reproduction by tissue culture.

DETAILED PLANT DESCRIPTION

Name of the new plant variety: "Spathiphyllum clevelandii var Merry".

Feature of the new plant variety being cultivated about 2 years afterpotting.

Form: Herbaceous.

Growth: Vigorous.

Overall size: Expected size to be approximately 311/8 inches (79 cm) inheight, from ground to tip of bract or leaf blade.

Leaf Blade

Quantity: Normal.

Shape: Lanceolate.

Texture (Upper side): Glossy.

Ribs and veins: Ordinary.

Edge: Smooth.

Length: From tip of leaf to base of leaf varying from 8 1/16 inches(about 20.5 cm) to 115/8 inches (about 29.5 cm).

Width: At widest point, from 3 9/16 inches (about 9.0 cm) to 43/4 inches(about 12.0 cm).

Color characteristic: Dark green (plate No. 7GY/3707 of the Japan ColorStandard for Horticultural Plants).

Bract

Fragrance: Moderate.

Length: From tip of bract to base of bract varying from 6 5/16 inches(about 16.0 cm) to 81/4 inches (about 21.0 cm).

Width: At widest point, from 3 5/16 inches (about 8.5 cm) to 41/8 inches(about 10.5 cm).

Color characteristic: Yellowish White (plate No. 3GY/3302 of the JapanColor Standard for Horticultural Plants).

No bract in October and November in Japan.

Spadix

Variety: Fertile.

Aspect: Smooth.

Length: From tip of spadix to base of spadix varying from 1 15/16 inches(about 5.0 cm) to 23/4 inches (about 7.0 cm).

Width: At widest point, from 3/8 inches (about 1.0 cm) to 13/16 inches(about 2.0 cm).

Color characteristic: Pale yellow (plate No. 5Y/2503 of the Japan ColorStandard for Horticultural Plants).

Color at maturity: Green.

Feature of the new plant variety being cultivated about 1 year afterpotting.

Form: Herbaceous.

Growth: Vigorous.

Leaf blade

Quantity: Normal.

Shape: Lanceolate.

Texture (Upper side): Glossy.

Ribs and veins: Ordinary.

Edge: Smooth.

Length: From tip of leaf to base of leaf sheath varying from 6 11/16inches (about 17.0 cm) to 9 7/16 inches (about 24.0 cm).

Width: At widest point, from 2 3/16 inches (about 5.5 cm) to 33/8 inches(about 8.5 cm).

Color characteristic: Dark green (plate No. 7GY/3707 of the Japan ColorStandard for Horticultural Plants).

Bract

Fragrance: Moderate.

Length: From tip of bract to base of bract varying from 3 15/16 inches(about 10.0 cm) to 5/162 inches (about 15.0 cm).

Width: At widest point, from 2 9/16 inches (about 6.5 cm to 33/8 inches(about 8.5 cm).

Color characteristic: Yellowish white (plate No. 3GY/3302 of the JapanColor Standard for Horticultural Plants).

No bract in October and November in Japan.

Spadix

Variety: Fertile.

Aspect: Smooth.

Length: From tip of spadix to base of spadix varying from 1 9/16 inches(about 4.0 cm) to 23/8 inches (about 6.0 cm).

Width: At widest point, from 3/8 inches (about 1.0 cm) to 13/16 inches(about 2.0 cm).

    ______________________________________                                        COMPARISON DATA                                                                            BOTANICAL CLASSIFICATION                                                                 NEAREST OLD                                                        NEW VARIETY                                                                              VARIETY                                                            Spathiphyllum                                                                            Spathiphyllum                                                      Clevelandii                                                                              Clevelandii                                                        var Merry  var Tasson                                            ______________________________________                                        Size of Bract                                                                            length  7 5/16 inches                                                                              51/2 inches                                                      18.5 cm      14.0 cm                                                  width   33/4 inches  23/4 inches                                                       9.5 cm       7.0 cm                                       Length of Spadix   23/8 inches  33/8 inches                                                       6.0 cm       8.5 cm                                       Size of Leaf                                                                             length  97/8 inches  125/8 inches                                                     25.0 cm      32.0 cm                                                  width   41/8 inches  51/8 inches                                                      10.5 cm      13.0 cm                                       Height of plant,   31 5/16 inches                                                                             30 5/16 inches                                depending          79.5 cm      77.0 cm                                       on culture                                                                    ______________________________________                                    

As compared with the nearest old variety, Spathiphyllum clevelandii varTasson, the new variety has features as follows:

1. Bract:

(a) Shape.--Rounder and bigger.

(b): Color.--Whiter.

(c) Bract stalk.--Thicker and erecter.

(d) Number of bract.--More.

(e) Thickness.--Thicker.

2. Foliage:

(a) Color.--Darker.

(b) Leaf thickness.--Thicker and erecter.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Spathiphyllum plant,substantially as herein disclosed, characterized as to novelty bycompact plant form with a larger ratio of bract to the whole plant aswell as of bract to leaf in length, dark green colored leaves and round,big, erect and yellowish white colored bracts.